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Institutional reforms, democratic participation and decentralized development in Ghana: the Sissala district as a case study

Ghana Journal of Development Studies

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Title Institutional reforms, democratic participation and decentralized development in Ghana: the Sissala district as a case study
 
Creator Bacho, Francis ZL
Derbile, Emmanuel K
 
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Description The failures of centralized planning and development governance in Africa have provided the basis for arguments for institutional reforms, decentralisation, democratic participation and the spread of development benefits. This paper explores two interrelated questions with regard to Ghana's ongoing decentralization efforts, namely: (i) whether institutions have been sufficiently reformed to allow for democratic participation of all interest groups in the development process?, and (ii) whether democratic participation, per se, guarantees a decentralized approach to development planning and management and a trend towards socially and spatially equitable development? Based on the lessons drawn from the Sissala District of the Upper West Region of Ghana as a case, the study concludes that institutional reforms that aim at authentic decentralisation may not necessarily result in democratic participation or decentralised development that addresses issues of social and spatial equity. A central recommendation is that government needs to enforce the bottom-up planning process and conscientise local people to participate effectively in the district development process. Ghana Journal of Development Studies Vol. 2(2) 2005: 15-31
 
Publisher Faculty of Integrated Development Studies, University for Development Studies, Ghana
 
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Date 2006-04-20
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
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Format application/pdf
 
Identifier https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjds/article/view/35023
10.4314/gjds.v2i2.35023
 
Source Ghana Journal of Development Studies; Vol 2, No 2 (2005); 15-31
0855-6768
 
Language eng
 
Relation https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjds/article/view/35023/24934
 
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Rights © 2018 The authors.The Ghana Journal of Development Studies is published twice a year (May & October) by the Faculty of Integrated Development Studies as a service to development related research.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the written authorisation of the publisher and copyright owner.The content is licensed uder a CC-BY license.